One of my all time favorite soups is French Onion Soup. For me, it’s the perfect soup with the broth, the onions, and of course, the bread and cheese. So good! It’s not for everyone, this I know and anticipated as much when I made this dish. Mostly, my husband is happy simply when I cook, but I knew ahead of time this would be my dish, not his. And the girls? Of course not, but when I made it, they were on vacation with their grandparents. Note to self: when I make this next time, halve the recipe because even with as much as I enjoyed it, I got burned out on it.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. Vidalia onions, peeled and sliced thin
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tsps. balsamic vinegar
• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed (I used chicken thighs)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsps. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 baguette, sliced

Preparation:

Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large oven safe skillet over medium heat. Add onions and stir to coat with oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook onions, stirring occasionally to avoid burning until onions are tender and slightly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Place cooked onions in a small dish and set aside.

Return skillet to stove over medium heat and add remaining olive oil. Season chicken with S&P and thyme. Add chicken and cook until all sides are brown and cooked thoroughly. Transfer chicken from skillet to a plate. Increase temperature to high. Add in beef broth and deglaze skillet. Reduce temperature back to medium. Gradually whisk in flour until broth is thickened. Season with a pinch of S&P and thyme.

Stir in cooked chicken and onions until combined with beef gravy. Sprinkle with Swiss cheese and place in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes until cheese in melted and bubbly. Sprinkle with a pinch of thyme if desired. To serve, place a few baguette slices in a shallow bowl. Top with chicken and gravy. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Source: http://www.motherthyme.com/2015/08/french-onion-chicken.html